


Meeting Eliza

by GetYourCapeOn



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Breakfast, Domesticity, Established SuperCorp, F/F, Flashbacks, Fluff, SuperCorp, angsty fluff, background sanvers because they're there and they're always cute, dubious consent/lack of consent Rhea/Lena alluded to, mentions of Rhea/Lena, nothing graphic, there's pastries and cake and kara loves lena
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 20:05:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12540100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GetYourCapeOn/pseuds/GetYourCapeOn
Summary: Lena meets Eliza for the first time.Established Supercorp, Sanvers, mentioned Rhea/Lena





	Meeting Eliza

The fall had been slow. Gradual. So soft that it didn’t even feel like falling ( _ falling in style _ , her brain supplied, a leftover line from a movie she hadn’t watched since she was four, hadn’t been  _ allowed  _ to watch but it had been something she and her mother had said to each other and it was stuck in her brain, a thing echoing back on occasion along with her mother’s smile that she almost-maybe-didn’t remember, a laugh that she hoped was a real memory, soft, silky dark hair between her small fingers, red, red lips leaving lipstick on Lena’s cheek) and it was so natural and real and  _ amazing _ . 

And Kara was--the most amazing person she had ever met. She was just  _ so _ \--and she was so  _ warm _ and soft and kind and heroic and yet so, so strong, so determined, so powerful in more ways than just strength. And she loved Lena. Kara Danvers--Kara  _ Zor-El _ \--loved Lena Luthor. 

The thought still made Lena’s heart flutter. Kara loved Lena. Kara  _ loves _ Lena. And Kara was currently draped across Lena’s chest, heavy enough to make it a little difficult to breathe deeply but it was so worth it because Kara’s soft curls were tickling her nose and Kara’s face was tucked into her shoulder and her arm was thrown haphazardly around Lena’s waist to keep her close and there were fingers that had snuck beneath the hem of her t-shirt (the crest of El was emblazoned on the chest and Lena had told Kara that it was for  _ Superman _ the first time she wore it and Kara had spent all night reminding her that it was so much better to wear it for Kara, so much better to be  _ hers _ ), and her warm breath played across Lena’s neck. It was worth the extra effort it took to breathe. 

Lena wanted to stay like this forever. There was sun filtering in through Kara’s curtains (Kara had come home  _ so late _ and Lena had already been asleep on Kara’s pillow, her Supergirl shirt the only thing she wore with her black lace panties because Kara  _ loved _ that Lena wore stupidly expensive lingerie that was also so  _ plain _ and she always laughed when she saw it, always took the utmost care when removing it no matter how impatient Lena was or how insistent that she was that she didn’t care if she ripped them to shreds) and Lena could feel the anxiety curling in her chest, weighing her down far more than Kara ever could. 

Eliza was coming over today. 

_ Eliza _ . 

The woman who had raised teenage Kara. The woman who had adopted her and loved and nurtured her. And just the thought of meeting her made Lena feel… woefully inadequate. Wrong. Broken. Unloveable. Just the  _ unclaimed _ bastard son of a man who cared enough to take her in, to love her, to raise her, but didn’t care enough to call her his own. Didn’t care enough to see that his wife was pushing Lena too far, pushing her to  _ break _ . And maybe Lena would have broken the way Lex broke. Exploding outwards, creating chaos, looking for vengeance. 

(She wondered, sometimes, what would have happened if she had broken first. Would he have saved her? Could he have saved her? Would she have saved him by bringing him back to reality? Would she have torn the world apart like he had or would she have torn  _ herself _ apart, ripping and clawing at her own mind until there was nothing left, nothing but the suffocating weight of her inadequacy, her stupidity, her  _ unwantedness _ . Would he have saved her?) 

She knew that she shouldn’t be jealous; Kara had watched her  _ whole world _ die and she had been sent off alone to an alien planet and charged with the protection of an  _ infant _ when she was still a child herself. Lena--Lena only lost her mother. One, singular person. But Kara had broken so beautifully, using her pain to make herself and the world a better place. 

And Lena? Lena used it to fall for some cruel scheme by an awful alien who took her away, who used her, who dressed her (it was a violation the way that Rhea had changed her clothes and brushed her hair and tucked her in, a cruel facsimile of maternal comfort because they both remembered late nights in the lab, Rhea’s hands on her shoulders, her hands, her waist, her touch anything but  _ motherly _ and she could feel those hands on her again, the way they curled around her shoulders to show Lena just where they were on that ship, the way she had been pressed against her in a too-strong hold, the way that she could barely breathe, the way Rhea’s lips felt on her forehead, her cheek, her mouth, the way that she claimed her with tongue and teeth and clothes and  _ fingers _ in her hair, on her waist, holding her still, stealing her breath and making the world spin and--), who used her as a means to an end beyond capturing a planet (she was doing this to Supergirl, to Kara, using her friend-- _ her best friend _ \--to hurt her and Lena was just an unfortunate casualty, a coincidence, a pawn, a doll bent into painful angles just to see if the joints would snap and if Lena had never befriend Kara, had never aided Supergirl, this wouldn’t have been necessary, it wouldn’t have come to that, Lena made herself a target, Rhea had no other choice because Lena would hurt Kara the most and seeing the look on Supergirl’s face would be a victory for Rhea no matter how everything ended).

She shoved Kara off of her abruptly, panic getting the best of her as Kara didn’t budge, Lena’s strength not enough to move the girl of steel more than an inch. She had thought too much; she had let herself get caught up in all of it again.  _ Stupid girl _ , she snarled at herself in a voice that sounded far too much like Lillian’s. Never think. Never cope. Just push it down and down and down until it rotted you from the inside. 

Kara’s eyes opened and Lena was pushing at her still, her eyes shut, shoving her memories to the back of her mind, forcing the hungry look in Rhea’s eyes out of her head, ignoring the phantom touch of demanding fingers on fragile skin. 

“Lena,” Kara said, sitting up immediately. She knew. Kara  _ always _ knew. And she didn’t reach, she didn’t push, she just sat calmly beside her, giving Lena the space that she needed. “Lena you need to breathe. I’m here. You’re safe.” 

_ Safe _ . 

There was no ship. Rhea was gone--forever. There was nothing to be afraid of anymore. Lena opened her eyes and stared up at Kara, wondering how she would have ever gotten through this without her. ( _ Alcohol _ , she thought softly. Lots and lots of alcohol) “I’m sorry,” she managed, trying her best not to look as rattled as she felt. 

“Don’t be.” 

The sun hit Kara’s sleep-mussed curls, giving her an almost ethereal glow. Her face was mostly caught in shadow but Lena could still make out the details. Kara’s eyes were still glassy with sleep and there was a small crease in her forehead, a look of almost dazed concern and so much softness, so much understanding. And no judgement. No look of displeasure or frustration. 

Lena wanted to cry but she only grabbed Kara by the waist (because Kara had managed the world’s fastest shower in the early hours of the morning when people were starting to  _ wake _ and had barely managed to throw on her boyshorts and a sports bra before falling into bed and she had only managed that much because the two of them had learned not to sleep naked in Kara’s apartment that night that Alex and J’onn had swung by to grab Kara for an urgent mission and the two of them had to hide under the blankets awkwardly while Alex fought a war with herself between laughing and gagging at the discovery while J’onn firmly ignored everything and pretended that nothing at all was going on despite the fact that he could probably  _ feel _ Lena’s embarrassment from a mile away) and pulled her down. Guided, really, because no one pulled Kara down unless she let them. Kara let Lena hold her, let Lena resume their previous position (except she didn’t touch, she didn’t find a bare thigh with fingers or the soft stretch of skin that she would find under her shirt), let Lena breathe, let Lena push everything but Kara out of her mind. 

“I’m sorry,” she echoed, knowing that Kara was about to refute her apology. “For waking you. You only got home a few hours ago.” 

Kara winced guiltily in her arms. “I didn’t know you were awake.” 

“It’s hard not to wake up when you move fast enough to rattle my jewelry on your dresser. Or when something warm and wet curls around you.” 

“In my defense, you stole my pillow,” Kara accused, her tone light, knowing that Lena needed this. Needed normalcy. Needed to get over this her own way and that meant not talking about it right now. Maybe never. She had told Kara the bare bones of it the first time she had flinched away from Kara’s touch, the first time Kara let her control slip just enough to cause pain from the fingers that had rested on Lena’s hip. It hadn’t been enough to leave a mark but it had been more than enough that Lena pulled away so quickly that even Kara could barely keep up. 

Since then, there had always been soft understanding and Kara hadn’t pressed the issue. And she had remembered to pull Lena away from the thoughts that swirled like poison through her head by pretending as though nothing at all had happened. 

“I missed you. Those people trying to assassinate aliens ruined my plans of debauchery,” Lena said, her voice mock-serious. “I had to take care of things myself.” 

Kara stiffened a little before pulling away, sitting up to look down at Lena. “You did?” she asked, suddenly very, very awake. “That’s… that’s something I really wish I hadn’t missed.” 

Lena smirked up at her, delighting in the fact that it was  _ so easy _ to get to Kara. “Mmhm,” she hummed and thoughts of Rhea were dispersed efficiently, replaced by the sight of Kara above her, looking at her like she was a stack of pancakes. Or a box of potstickers. “You left me no other choice.” And then she broke the facade, smiling genuinely up at Kara and she was rewarded with a soft, affectionate kiss. 

“You did not,” Kara accused against her lips as her hands tangled in Lena’s hair. 

“You’re right. I worked on developing a new polymer--” she was cut off by a swift kiss “that will be both efficient and--” another kiss, firmer this time “low cost and it can be used to make--” she smiled as Kara’s tongue flicked against her lips, determined to silence her “low cost, high standard housing for--” 

Kara was playing dirty. One hand had snaked between them, pushing up Lena’s shirt, tickling her ribs and making Lena laugh. And then she was kissing her languidly, like they had all the time in the world. Like there were no plans. Like Eliza wasn’t coming in--oh  _ god _ , the last time Lena had looked at the clock it had been seven and Eliza was going to be here at  _ nine _ and--

Lena pushed at Kara, suddenly frantic though for entirely different reasons than before. Kara frowned down at Lena, not understanding but instantly releasing her hold on her. “Eliza,” Lena stated and Kara flushed almost immediately. 

“She’s coming in this morning!” Kara said as she rolled off of Lena to look at the clock next to the bed. “It’s nearly eight!” 

Lena sat up and tried to brush the hair away from her face since Kara had left it a mess. “I still haven’t decided what to wear.” 

“Eliza isn’t going to care,” Kara insisted for the forty-seventh time (Lena would know, she was  _ counting _ ). “Just… be you.” 

“The daughter of a bigoted lunatic and the sister of the man who tried, and nearly succeeded, to murder your cousin and caused untold amounts of damage in the process,” Lena said flatly. 

“ _ No _ ,” Kara insisted as she tugged Lena easily onto her lap. “Beautiful and smart and caring and so, so good, Lena. I know you don’t believe me because you’re wearing that  _ you’re-cute-but-I-know-you’re-lying  _ face because you wear that when I tell you I haven’t eaten the last tub of ice cream in the freezer and we both know I have, but you  _ are _ a good person and you  _ aren’t _ like your mom or your brother so don’t even start. Besides, Eliza knows you’re amazing. She admires your work  _ and _ she’s happy that I’m happy. So there.” 

Lena tucked her head under Kara’s chin and smiled. “If you say so. I still need something to wear.” 

“Supergirl shirt and those cut-offs I found for you.” Lena sighed heavily at the suggestion. “Fine, just… wear something kind of casual. This isn’t some work event--I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.” 

“I feel very comfortable in my work clothes,” Lena protested. 

“There’s  _ no way _ that you are comfortable in those toothpick heeled shoes. Not even  _ I _ can deal with those and I can fly!” 

Lena laughed. “But you should see what type of damage they do when I  _ accidentally _ step on someone’s toe.” 

Kara cackled and wrapped her arms around Lena tightly. “I want to see that.” 

“I’ll give you a call the next time I do it. But, in the meantime,” Lena said as she pulled free of Kara’s embrace, “I need to shower. And get ready. Because she’s going to be here in an hour and I don’t want to look like I just rolled out of bed with you because--because she’s your  _ foster mother _ and she might not approve and maybe she likes the  _ idea  _ of me but she might see  _ me _ and think that I’m too--too  _ uptight _ and that I’m just putting on some sort of mask so that you can’t see the real me and I  _ really _ need to know what to wear, Kara. I brought ten outfits and I can’t decide which one.” 

Kara wiggled towards the end of the bed to catch Lena’s hands as she fidgeted nervously. “She’ll love you. I promise.” 

Kara looked so sincere, so soft, that Lena believed her. “Okay,” she said softly. “But I do still need that shower.” 

Kara beamed and released her cheerfully and Lena headed straight to the bathroom, hopping under the showerhead before the water could even warm. (The faster this was over, the sooner she would go back. The sooner she could be  _ busy _ and not think about lingering memories triggered by her own stupid mind that  _ wanted  _ her to feel like this, wanted her to suffer needlessly, wanted to feel the demanding fingers on her skin, the sinister grin, the presumptuous touch) Shampoo, conditioner, wash, rinse, dry. She was out of the shower in under eight minutes and she was toweled off in less than two, her hair brushed and drying into soft waves. 

She wrapped herself in a towel and headed into Kara’s room to find Kara had laid out Lena’s outfit choices on the bed and was studying them carefully. “You certainly came prepared,” Kara said. “I didn’t realize that by  _ outfits _ you also meant jewelry and shoes to go with them.” 

“You should see how many jackets I brought,” Lena joked. 

“Lenaaa,” Kara groaned. “Just pick something. You look stunning in anything you put on.  _ Especially _ when that something is a pair of my pajamas. Or that dress you wore to that gala last weekend because  _ Lena _ \--” 

“You’re not helping, dear. Which one do you like?” 

Kara sighed dramatically and tapped three different outfits. “These ones.” She picked the three most casual outfits, one a blue sweater with white pants, one a white button down with jeans (and heels to dress it up because Lena Luthor didn’t really  _ do _ jeans), and the last a relatively simple red dress. “Though I definitely want this one to be a date night look.” The outfit she indicated was a formfitting black number with a scoopneck that would leave very little to Kara’s (very active) imagination. 

Lena smiled and tugged Kara down for a brief kiss on the cheek. “I think the dress might be best,” she said. “I’m not a fan of jeans and what if the sweater is too hot? I don’t want to seem as if I’m nervous.” 

“That settles it then. And with forty minutes to spare.” Kara beamed at Lena and zipped off to change, ruffling Lena’s hair as she used her superspeed to get ready in less than three seconds. 

“Show off,” Lena muttered as she dropped her towel and started getting dressed, well aware that Kara was probably both staring and pretending that she was very interested in something else. It was sweet, really, that Kara thought that it was more polite to look away even though they had seen  _ every _ inch of each other. Multiple times. 

Lena took a little longer than normal to dress, fussing over shades of lipstick and the perfection of her mascara and they really only ended up with five minutes to make coffee and have some peace before brunch. Alex and Maggie were bringing food (because Alex  _ insisted _ because she was going to have  _ so much fun _ watching Eliza interact with Lena because Lena was an absolute dork and so painfully infatuated with Kara that Alex would pay to see it. Which she was by way of providing ample brunch items to lengthen their meeting) and they would be here soon, too. Except Alex had promised to leave Kara and Lena ten minutes so that Lena could meet Eliza without the distraction of Maggie and Alex. 

Coffee was brewing when Lena saw Kara pause for a moment. And then there was a knock at the door and Kara was grinning (when was the last time that Lena had grinned in her mother’s presence? When was the last time that her smile wasn’t plastered on her face, lying like a good Luthor did, when interacting with her mother?). Lena hung back, unsure if she should join Kara at the door. She nervously fiddled with the bowl of sugar before her, adjusting the lid as if enthralled by it. 

“It’s so good to see you again!” Eliza enthused and Lena glanced up and Eliza was cupping Kara’s face, her eyes bright with adoration. There was a hug, soft, genuine, loving, and Lena felt jealousy claw at her chest, wishing for the thousandth time that she had even a  _ fraction _ of the love that Eliza gave her adopted child. It wasn’t that she resented Kara for having a happy experience--it was just… it felt like maybe  _ Lena _ was what was broken. She had always thought so as a child but, now that she  _ knew _ why Lillian had never loved her properly, it made a little more sense. Her father had forced her mother to take in his bastard child. Why  _ wouldn’t _ she resent Lena? 

And then Eliza was looking at her. Softly. Affectionately. The lid for the sugar fell into place with the sharp clink of ceramic against ceramic as Lena forced her nervous fingers to still. “You must be Lena,” Eliza said and Lena was very glad that there was an island between them because she wasn’t certain what she would do if Eliza hugged her. “Kara has told me so much about you, I feel like I know you already.” 

Lena was, for the first time in a  _ long _ time, speechless. She didn’t really know what to say. What if she said the wrong thing? What if she blurted out that she was so hideously jealous of the woman she loved that she  _ hated _ herself? Kara deserved the best. And Eliza was the best. This fit together--Kara got a woman who would love her, a woman who was always there, a  _ good person _ and Lena--

Lena got Lillian Luthor. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” she managed after a too long pause and she offered her hand to be shaken reflexively if only for something to do. She could feel the flush blossoming on her cheeks and she wished that she’d spent longer with foundation to make her blush more muted. It wasn’t fair that her pale skin made  _ everything _ shine through. 

Eliza’s hand was warm and gentle in Lena’s and her smile was soft and sweet and there was no judgement, no calculating gaze, no threats. 

No wonder Kara and Alex were such good people--their mother was just the same. 

Which meant that--

No. No, no, no, she wasn’t thinking about that now. She wasn’t thinking about bad mothers. Not her own, not Rhea. That was months ago. She was fine. Everything was fine now. She was safe and she had Kara now. She wasn’t going to  _ ever _ fall for someone who would only use and abuse her until there was nothing left. (Rhea’s smile had been that soft on occasion. Hadn’t it? Or had Lena just  _ willed _ it to be true? There was always a glint of something more sinister, more serious, in Rhea’s eyes but Eliza was free of that. Open. Honest. And it put Lena immediately on edge.) 

She drew her hand back nervously and tucked her hair behind her ears, suddenly worried that she would have looked better had she taken the time to blow dry her hair so that it was silky smooth. “Kara has also told me good things about you.” There, that was something decent to say. If only Lena could meet Eliza’s eyes. 

“Alex and Maggie should be here soon,” Kara said, breaking the silence cheerfully. “Alex promised me an entire L Corp building’s worth of pancakes and I need her to deliver or, so help me, I will make her  _ make _ me a stack of pancakes that tall.” 

Lena laughed, relieved that she could focus on something else now. “I don’t think that pancakes would be able to reach that high. Even assuming that you use wider ones for a steadier base, the structure wouldn’t be stable. Particularly since creating thousands of uniformly weighted pancakes--with identical weight distribution--is an essentially impossible task, I’m afraid that a pancake tower as large as the L Corp building isn’t exactly feasible. Though I would be happy to put my best engineers on that if that’s what you’re craving.” 

“You spoil me rotten,” Kara said as she stood next to her mother and smiled across the island at Lena. “Because I  _ know _ that you’d absolutely make them do that for you-- _ me _ \--and then I would have to eat that entire stack of pancakes.” 

“Structurally sound pancakes,” Lena added helpfully and Eliza laughed. 

“Kara, not even you can eat that much,” Eliza said as she placed an affectionate hand on Kara’s shoulder. “The sheer volume of food would be impossible, even  _ with _ your incredibly quick and efficient metabolism.” She patted Kara with mock sympathy. “Maybe you can have a stack of pancakes the size of a house instead.” 

It was Lena’s turn to chuckle and she felt the tension in her chest ease. Eliza was clearly genuine in her affections and Lena was  _ happy _ for Kara. She deserved a mother like Eliza. 

“Ganging up on me is no fair,” Kara pouted but she couldn’t keep the grin from her face as she met Lena’s eyes. And how could Lena  _ not _ smile back at Kara when she was radiating joy like sunshine? 

“I’m so glad that I’m finally getting a chance to talk to you,” Eliza said, directing her statement across the island at Lena. “Kara has been talking about you nonstop since she met you. It was sweet the way she was so smitten.” 

Lena flushed and she had to resist the urge to fiddle with the sugar bowl again. “She made quite an impression, too. And as Supergirl, Kara was  _ always _ on my side and--” she cut herself off, feeling foolish. “She’s the most wonderful person I’ve ever met,” she said, staring at her hands instead of looking at Eliza. And then Kara’s hand slid along the space between them, gently taking Lena’s hand, all in full view of her mother (Lena would have  _ never _ done that--never show your cards, never let anyone know that you have a weakness, a vulnerability, someone you  _ loved _ who could be used against you and Lena feared that Lillian might use Kara to get at her, to punish her for her betrayal of Lex and their mother and she was scared,  _ so scared _ , that Kara might not come home one night and it would be her mother in Kara’s apartment instead, showing off how she had murdered the love of Lena’s life, the  _ alien menace _ that was bringing more and more aliens to their planet) and Lena had to fight the instinctive urge to pull away. She was still so hesitant to show affection in front of others, still worried about headlines and unwanted attention and the potential damage it could do to Kara, to her identity. Most of all, though, it was the scorn her mother had for Lena’s  _ lesbian tendencies _ that made her want to keep everything behind closed doors, particularly in front of Kara’s foster mother because Lena had the irrational fear that she might not be okay with… them being this. 

Which was absolutely ridiculous because Eliza  _ loved _ how happy Alex was and Lena hoped that she made Kara happy and that would translate to everything being okay. 

“She is pretty fantastic,” Eliza agreed and it was Kara’s turn to blush, trying to blow off the compliment with a scoff though Lena knew that she was smiling her goofy smile without even looking up. “I have been following your work for a while, Lena,” Eliza said, her tone professional yet eager, “and I have to say that I’m impressed. You’ve done so much in such a short time and the strides you’ve made by embracing alien technology and their views has truly set you apart. Kara certainly chose well with you.” 

Eliza was so  _ nice _ . Lena didn’t know how to react and she was fumbling for something to say when the door opened. She had never been so happy to see Alex and Maggie and Kara immediately released Lena’s hand to speed to the door, relieving Maggie and Alex of the boxes they bore. “ _ Food _ ,” Kara sighed, already opening a box and pulling out a pancake that was still steaming. She didn’t bother with a plate as she took a bite. 

“Kara,” Eliza admonished before turning her attention to her other daughter. “Alex,” she said as she hugged the brunette tightly, showing her just as much affection as she did Kara. “You’re looking well.” She pulled away and suddenly Maggie was wrapped in her embrace and Lena was very glad that she hadn’t moved to greet Eliza earlier, worried that she wouldn’t react as easily as Maggie was. It had taken her several tries to get hugging Kara right and she feared that she might not do it properly with someone who wasn’t quite as enthusiastic and strong as Kara. 

“Nice to see you without handcuffs as always, Ms. Luthor,” Maggie said as Eliza released her and turned her attention back on Alex. She closed the space between them and leaned over the island, keeping her voice low. “Though, if we were a few hours earlier, maybe that wouldn’t be the case,” she teased just because she  _ liked _ catching Lena off guard, liked making her squirm because she wasn’t allowed to tease Kara about things like that because Alex always gagged. 

Lena leaned forward, refusing to back down now that this had become a regular game Maggie would play. “I don’t do handcuffs,” she replied, “I’m more of a silk scarves kind of girl.” 

Maggie snickered and pushed away from the island before joining Kara as she gnawed on a pancake with one hand and set out food with the other. Lena turned her attention to the coffee that had finished brewing, pulling out mugs and cream and placing them on the island so that it wouldn’t interfere with Kara’s truly impressive feast. 

Lena turned once she was done and stood on her toes to reach above the fridge, tugging two bakery boxes tied with ribbon down. Kara turned at the sound and her eyes instantly lit up. “Did you bring a cake?” she asked as she practically skipped towards Lena. “From that bakery--the one with the french name that I always forget and you pretend that you don’t know that I’m pretending when I tell you that I didn’t hear it because you just sound  _ so _ sweet speaking french?” 

“Mmhm,” Lena hummed as she carefully untied the ribbon. “The cake was supposed to be for last night but we were both too tired to think about cake.” 

“Lena,” Kara said seriously enough that Lena looked away from her current task, “I am  _ never _ too tired to think about cake.” 

“It’s true,” Alex confirmed as she poured herself a cup of coffee. “Kara used to eat a whole cake in one sitting when she first got here--apparently food on other planets can’t compare to Earth cuisine.” 

“Why do you think so many aliens end up here?” Kara asked as Lena finished untying the ribbon. “What’s in the other one?” she asked as she pulled the taller box off of the shorter, longer box. She broke the seal that held the box closed and beamed at the contents. Assorted breakfast pastries were neatly lined up: danishes of various flavors, fancy doughnuts (plus one with rainbow sprinkles because Lena had thought it appropriate if childish) and a few muffins. “Rao, Lena,” Kara sighed, “I love you.” 

Lena flushed pink at the offhanded and  _ genuine _ compliment, well aware that they weren’t alone. It was one thing to respond to Kara’s affection in their safe bubble of Kara’s quiet apartment but, here, with people within earshot? With Kara’s  _ family _ ? It felt so much more real. Like Kara wasn’t ashamed, like she wasn’t afraid that someone would reject her or make a cruel comment. Kara didn’t help the situation by standing on her toes (because Lena was still in her killer heels, knowing that height was a definite advantage when meeting someone new because it made her appear more intimidating than if she stood in her bare feet like Kara was. Kara with her rosy pink nail polish that was chipped in several places because she had painted her toes a week ago leaning against Lena on the couch while Lena worked furiously on her laptop, trying to correct a crucial error that someone had made that had interrupted date night and Kara was sulking because she’d gotten Lena’s dress off  _ and _ her bra and Kara had been about to peel off Lena’s pretty satin underwear when Lena’s phone went off and the whole evening had tanked. Well, Lena had worn Kara’s Noonan’s t-shirt while working and it still smelled like cinnamon buns according to Kara so Kara had claimed that it wasn’t a  _ total _ loss when Lena finally put down her computer, too exhausted to pick up where they left off) and placing a quick kiss to Lena’s lips that tasted of syrup and Lena couldn’t help the smile that blossomed from the easy affection. 

“You two might give us cavities if this keeps up,” Maggie quipped. “God, were we like that when we first started dating?” she asked Alex. 

“Oh no. You played it cool.  _ I _ was the one who was all mush,” Alex said as she reached between Kara and Lena to help herself to one of the doughnuts--an eclair split open with strawberries pressed into the custard, sliced neatly and lined up carefully before the whole thing had been dusted with powdered sugar. “Though I can’t say that I ever bought you doughnuts like this before.” 

“Lena has good taste,” Eliza said with a teasing smile at Alex. 

“Uh huh,” Alex grumbled, hiding her own smile behind a bite of doughnut. “Okay, she does,” she said after she chewed for a moment. “Because  _ damn _ .” 

“Can we please eat properly? You would think that I raised you two in a barn,” Eliza sighed. 

“You should see Alex eat pizza in bed,” Maggie teased. “No plates, no napkins.” 

“I do not! And Kara is the one who will eat two  _ whole _ pizzas in one sitting in bed right out of the boxes. She wins the lack of table manners,” Alex retorted. 

“Yeah but Lena eats pizza with a knife and fork,” Kara pointed out. 

Silence followed Kara’s statement and Lena could feel the blush creeping up again. “Luthors,” Maggie sighed and the silence broke as Kara giggled and Eliza sighed. Lena was beaming at the island, so, so grateful that she had people who  _ could _ tease her about her family without it feeling as though it was an attack or an accusation. 

“In all fairness, we weren’t really  _ allowed _ pizza when we were children so I never fully learned how to eat it properly.” 

“Lena, I’m an alien from another  _ planet _ and I figured out how to eat pizza,” Kara pointed out as she picked up a cinnamon roll. “You’re just finicky and don’t like getting your hands dirty.” 

“Alright, enough, I’m hungry,” Alex stated as she dragged Maggie to the table with her. “Let’s eat.” 

Breakfast was… surprisingly delightful. Maggie and Alex were hilariously recounting their run in with a rogue alien who they had had to apprehend on  _ date night _ and it ended up with an underground jello wrestling ring that Alex, full makeup and heels, fell into, followed by Alex, jello and all, slapping the cuffs on an alien responsible for selling alien tech on the black market. The fact that Alex had to give a report to J’onn dripping in purple jello in heels and a formerly white dress only served to make Kara put her head down on the table to guffaw while Eliza tried her best to hide her amusement behind her coffee cup. 

Kara told Eliza all about her latest heroics (the tamer stuff, of course), telling her about the puppy she had found  _ up a tree _ somehow, the baby she had held so that his mother could juggle her groceries and keys, the electrical fire she had stopped in an apartment building before it could ruin the tenants’ homes. 

Lena spoke briefly about her latest work, not wanting to bore Kara and Maggie but Alex and Eliza were very engaged in the discussion and, before she knew it, it had been three hours since she had met Eliza and everything was going  _ so well _ . No missteps, no mistrustful looks. Just… acceptance. Happiness. And Kara had eaten six doughnuts, ten pancakes, an omelet, a stack of french toast so large that Lena hadn’t wanted to even  _ guess _ at how many pieces she was eating, and everything was drenched in syrup. And bacon. And now Kara was eyeing the cake box, trying her best to be nonchalant about it. 

“You can’t still be hungry,” Lena said. “You ate  _ everything _ .” 

“I was busy last night! I need to refuel!” 

“Go to the beach and get a suntan,” Alex suggested. Kara stuck her tongue out at her before looking wistfully at the cake again. 

“She’s better off consuming a truly unholy amount of calories and  _ then _ absorbing the sun’s rays,” Eliza countered. “Cake sounds like a great way to end a meal.” 

It was all so great. Perfect, really. And Lena should have known better than to relax, to let her guard down. 

Two phones rang at once. 

Maggie and Alex both answered, suddenly serious. Kara frowned a little, looking upset as she stood from her seat. “There’s an emergency,” Alex said apologetically as Kara vanished for a moment only to return fully dressed as Supergirl. 

“What looks to be a terrorist attack on an alien refugee camp,” Maggie said darkly as she grabbed her coat. 

“I’ll call you later,” Alex said as she hugged Eliza quickly and followed Maggie out the door so that they could make it there before too much evidence was destroyed or otherwise lost or contaminated. 

“Sorry,” Kara mumbled as she gave Eliza a much more lingering hug. “I guess Supergirl doesn’t get a day off.” She turned to Lena and leaned down to kiss her, cupping her face gently before resting her forehead against hers. “Don’t wait up this time,” she said sternly but her smile betrayed her. And then Kara was gone, leaving only a gust of wind in her wake. 

And Lena was  _ alone _ with Eliza. 

There was a heavy silence that followed Kara’s exit as Lena firmly faced the window that Kara had exited instead of facing the remaining blonde. But there was only so much time that she could use to brace herself and she inhaled deeply before turning with a friendly smile on her face, trying to keep up the good mood that had been shared between bites of pancakes and bacon. “I should clean up,” she said, glad that there was  _ something _ to distract her. “I’m sure Kara will be hungry when she gets home.” 

She picked up takeout boxes, consolidating them into fewer containers, trying her best not to look at Eliza. There was nothing wrong with Eliza, she tried to convince herself. It was fine. Everything was going to be  _ fine _ . It was just Lena’s own stupidity that made this a problem in the first place. She wished that the anxiety making her regret stealing Kara’s bacon when she wasn’t looking was caused by the fear of failing to impress a partner’s parent and  _ not _ because she was so afraid that Eliza might turn on her simply because that was what always happened. 

She stacked empty takeout containers and tried not to react when Eliza joined her, deftly tidying the remaining mess. And then there was nothing at all left to do other than dishes and then what? There was no buffer between them, no safety net to catch Lena when she inevitably lost her cool. The worst part was that it was her  _ fear _ of being afraid that was working her up so much. Stupid. She was stupid for thinking this. She was stronger than this. 

She bit her lip hard as she stacked plates while Eliza dealt with the cutlery. There was leftover coffee to dump from abandoned mugs, plates to rinse free of syrupy mess because Kara’s dishwasher did a truly abysmal job, crumbs to sweep, counters to needlessly wipe. And then there was nothing at all to explain away Lena’s lack of eye contact. 

“Now that Kara is gone,” Eliza began and Lena braced herself for the worst, her shoulders tensing as she rinsed the washcloth she had used to clean the counters, “I’d love to hear more about your projects.” 

Lena looked up, startled that Eliza was just… letting this happen. Letting Lena get away with ignoring her, giving Lena a way out, providing a topic that they were both interested in and was simultaneously impersonal and complex enough that they could theoretically discuss it for hours. 

Lena hated herself even more for that. 

Eliza was a good person. A kind and loving mother, Kara had sworn. Except--there was that small look of concern as she mentioned Alex and her mother, that tiny hesitation. And  _ that _ was enough to make Lena wary, make her on high alert even as she opened up, speaking at length about her work with Eliza as she made another pot of coffee just so that her hands had something to do. 

It was easy again. Lena was confident again though she wasn’t able to quash the anxiety still curling in her chest, wrapping around her lungs, squeezing her tight enough that she was breathless even from the simple task of talking and measuring out coffee grounds. 

The coffee brewed and the conversation continued, Eliza contributing surprisingly helpful suggestions to improve the artificial growth stimulant that L Corp had been working on that would increase the speed at which greenhoused plants could grow and help curb food shortages in areas in desperate need. And Lena poured herself a second cup of coffee and went to pour Eliza one, feeling decently safe since the island had ended up between them again, Eliza resting on a stool while Lena burned off her anxiety by being productive. But a gentle hand rested on her forearm to stop her and Lena jumped back as if scalded (Rhea had touched her like that, soft, gently controlling, halting her with feigned affection, holding her still, exerting just that  _ little bit _ of casual control even when they were in a room full of other people. There were always little things, a disapproving sigh, a soft touch, disguised as affection and it felt too much like her and Lena was overwhelmed with a sense of terror as she tried not to remember how it felt to have Rhea’s skin on her own, Rhea’s piercing gaze taking in every inch of her as if endlessly fascinated), her arm jerking back as she simultaneously stumbled backwards, only just managing to catch herself on her elbows on the back counter. Hot coffee sloshed out of the pot and she barely managed not to drop it as the hot liquid actually scalded her hand. 

“Shit,” Lena hissed as she put the pot down and she could  _ tell _ that Eliza was looking at her, could tell that Eliza was worried. But the woman didn’t do more than stand up and head to the bathroom, letting Lena have her space as she rinsed her hand beneath cold water in a vain effort at healing her burn. 

“Kara doesn’t need aloe herself,” Eliza called calmly as though Lena hadn’t freaked out from one simply touch, “but I know she keeps some on hand. For Alex and also to keep up the appearance of  _ normalcy _ just in case anyone rifles through her things.” She emerged a minute later with a mostly full bottle of aloe, green and sticky. She offered it to Lena, holding it by its lid so that Lena could safely take it without touching her. 

Lena looked up, the water still running over her hand, meeting Eliza’s gaze for the first time since everyone else had left. Was this where Kara got it from? That quiet understanding, that lack of judgement? There was nothing malicious or pitying in Eliza’s gaze and Lena’s uninjured hand hesitantly took the bottle, never once breaking eye contact. She could trust her, couldn’t she? Kara trusted her. Alex trusted her. Why shouldn’t Lena? 

With Rhea, that had been  _ Lena’s _ judgement. No one else had met her. No one else was close enough to know that she wasn’t what she pretended to be. But other people knew and trusted Eliza and that meant that Lena’s instincts were right this time. It was fine. Everything was fine. 

Lena turned off the water and looked away, focusing on the damage done to her hand. “It doesn’t look too bad,” Eliza observed, leaning in just a little without intruding on Lena’s personal space again. “It will probably hurt for a few days but you’ll be fine. The aloe will help.” 

“Thank you,” Lena said belatedly. She unscrewed the top of the aloe and applied it carefully, following the instructions on the bottle to the letter. 

There was silence for a moment and Lena could feel the tension brewing between them. Part of her wanted to demand to know what she wanted while the other part wanted to pretend as though nothing had happened. As though she  _ hadn’t _ just lost her mind over one delicate touch. She could feel her throat constrict as her mind played out scenarios of demands or reactions that might occur. Eliza demanding to know what was wrong. Eliza scolding her for overreacting. Eliza hating her. Eliza becoming just like Lillian. Or, worse, Rhea. 

That thought chilled Lena to the bone and she clenched her hands into fists, not caring that it pulled at her injured skin, making the throb more apparent. She didn’t want to think about that. She didn’t want to think about Rhea. She was fine. She just… she just needed time to  _ shove _ everything down as far as she could. She would be fine tomorrow. Tonight, even. 

“Lena,” Eliza began, her voice so genuinely gentle (the way Kara sounded sometimes. The way she sounded when she spoke to someone who was injured, someone who needed her) that Lena could already feel tears stinging her eyes. She  _ wanted _ to trust Eliza. She wanted to get along with her. She wanted to prove that she was good enough for Kara. And every single sign pointed towards Lena’s fears being entirely unfounded and yet--here she was. Terrified of an innocent touch. “Are you alright?” 

Silence weighed heavily between them and Lena could swear that the air had suddenly gotten thinner as they stood there, each second ticking by and making her anxiety spike. “Fine,” she said tightly. And then there was more silence. Not a sound. No disappointed sigh, no demand. Just… nothing. 

“It isn’t you,” Lena clarified after several long,  _ long _ moments of silence. “I’m--”  _ damaged, broken beyond repair, so traumatized that sometimes even Kara scares me in my worst moments _ . “I’m not good at physical affection.” That wasn’t quite a lie. It was a half-truth, yes, but it wasn’t a lie. 

And Eliza was still so quiet and Lena had to fill the space between them with  _ something _ or she might lose control and embarrass herself again. “I spent some time aboard the Daxamite ship,” she explained lamely. “I’m just a little jumpy. I’m fine.” 

“Of course you’re fine.” It was said so confidently that it somehow made all of this worse. She  _ wasn’t _ fine. She wasn’t sure that she could ever be fine again if she was honest with herself. Had she ever been fine in her entire life? Had there ever been a time where things were easy and  _ right _ ? “You were very brave.” 

There was that vile, sickening feeling of guilt in her throat, making her feel almost physically ill. She had not been brave. She had been reckless and too trusting. Her impulsiveness had led to countless lives ruined by the Daxamite invasion. She was not fine. Nothing was going to be fine because she, Lena Luthor, helped destroy the city that she loved. 

“No, I wasn’t,” Lena refuted quietly. “I went along with everything she demanded of me because I was  _ scared _ . Lonely. Desperate. She  _ used _ me and I didn’t even bat an eye because she was soft and affectionate and  _ loving _ , treating me like I mattered, like she  _ wanted _ me!” Her voice was rising in volume, her throat tight with unshed tears. She was shattering here in Kara’s kitchen, in front of Kara’s mother. She was a  _ disaster _ . “I was her pawn long before she brought me to that ship. I  _ let  _ her--” she didn’t finish that thought, not wanting to provoke further questions. 

“I’m sorry,” she finished lamely. “I didn’t intend…” 

“It’s alright, Lena,” Eliza assured her, her gaze still soft. Eliza shifted before catching herself, her hand settling back on the counter almost as soon as she lifted it. “You don’t need to explain anything else. Just… if you  _ do _ want to talk about it with someone, I’m always here.” 

_ Should _ Lena speak to someone? Should she find someone who could listen to the full story, could take the burden of silence from her? Not even Kara knew the worst of it though Lena suspected that Kara might have inferred most if not all that had happened. It didn’t matter, though, that Kara had pieced things together but… she liked to pretend that those memories were carcases of things long dead though it was clear that they were still alive and terrorizing her. Saying things out loud made them feel real and what if she had overreacted? What if any normal person could have dealt with what had happened without shattering? 

Silence weighed heavily on Lena and she fought the urge to squirm, to break more than she already had. She was an embarrassment. An idiot. She didn’t deserve Kara. She didn’t deserve Eliza’s understanding. She was just…  _ this _ . 

And then Eliza began their easy conversation again, this time taking the lead and comparing some of her past projects to Lena’s, citing similarities and differences with ease. There was no tension in her voice, no emotion, just… pleasant conversation. Lena’s tense shoulders relaxed a little, allowing herself to get caught up in the neutral conversation, speaking carefully about current projects while letting Eliza take the reins. Things were a little easier now, a little better. Eliza, shockingly, seemed to understand her far more than her mother ever had. 

“I should get going,” Eliza said several minutes after Lena had finally begun to contribute to the conversation. “Alex is letting me stay at her place and I’m not entirely sure that she has groceries in her apartment. Sometimes I’m amazed that neither of my girls can cook,” she sighed. She offered Lena a friendly smile before turning to collect her coat. “It was nice to meet you, Lena,” she said and Lena was worried for a brief moment that Eliza might try to hug her. “And thank you for being so good to Kara--she’s an amazing girl and you make her so happy.” 

“It was nice to meet you too,” Lena said as she walked Eliza to the door. There was one more smile, one last soft, open look, and then Eliza was gone. 

No hug. No physical contact. 

Lena hated that she was so relieved. 

She ran the dishwasher and did odd chores around Kara’s apartment, stripping the bed and remaking it with fresh sheets just for  _ something _ to do. 

She walked to the basement of Kara’s building to wash the sheets before heading back upstairs to get back to work. And, more importantly, to not think about Rhea or Eliza or the fact that she hadn’t heard from Kara in hours. 

Lena made it another twenty minutes before she finally allowed herself to turn on the local news, her gaze desperately searching for a flash of red and blue above the flames that engulfed an industrial building. If they weren’t out by now… it had to be a chemical fire. Where was Kara? Where were Alex and Maggie? The cameras weren’t close to the site and Lena knew that it would be impossible to find either woman in the crowd of people surrounding the building. 

There were eight agonizing minutes before Supergirl exited the building with a gust of smoke following her. She was carrying someone and her suit was almost black with soot. She flew right back in and Lena forced her attention back to her laptop, glancing up every so often to verify that Kara was still alive. 

It was evening by the time that the fire was out and the news stated that everyone had been rescued though there were a few people in critical condition due to burns or smoke inhalation. Lena watched the live feed of Kara speaking to Alex, the camera zoomed in enough that the image was fuzzy, particularly with the smoke still in the air, and then Kara was flying straight up and the camera lost her. 

Lena shut her laptop with a snap and stood, knowing that Kara would be home momentarily. She headed towards the kitchen and carefully deboxed the cake, placing it in the center of Kara’s island just as the sudden smell of acrid smoke filled the apartment. 

“Sorry,” Kara said as she stood in civilian clothes. “It’s me, not my suit. I dropped it off with Winn so they can clean it though I’m pretty sure there isn’t a washing machine alive that could get the smell out of it.” 

Despite the almost suffocating smell of a mixture of chemicals and smoke, Lena closed the distance between them and kissed her girlfriend before wrinkling her nose. “You need a shower.” 

Kara huffed and looked Lena in the eye and--her gaze was instantly riveted on something behind Lena. “ _ Cake _ ,” she moaned and Lena couldn’t deny that she was a  _ little _ offended that she had that reaction to the cake and not her. 

“I figured that you would be hungry.” 

“Rao, I love you,” Kara sighed as she refocused on Lena. “Shower, then cake. I’ll be quick.” Kara disappeared into the bathroom and Lena had half a mind to follow her before deciding against it; Kara had had two busy nights and, quite honestly, Lena wasn’t sure if  _ she _ was ready for that kind of intimacy after… after her reaction to Eliza. 

Should she tell her? Would Eliza tell Kara? Lena doubted it but… maybe it was better to explain what happened instead of glossing over the details. Not tonight though; she was too emotionally raw and Kara had worked hard for  _ hours _ . It was better to let this lie and Lena could address it when the time was right. She dressed in pajamas instead, wearing her Supergirl shirt and a pair of sweatpants she had liberated from Kara’s closet several months ago. Kara hadn’t commented on Lena’s acquisition but Lena knew that Kara was aware of the theft. 

Lena headed back to the kitchen and cut the cake neatly, putting aside a single slice for herself while laying five generous pieces (which encompassed nearly three-fourths of the cake) on a large plate for Kara. The shower ran for nearly twenty minutes before Kara came out of her bedroom, hair still damp, wearing a tank top and pajama pants with little sheep on them. 

“Cake,” Kara sighed in happiness as she spotted that Lena had already cut it. “I’m so tired but I want to eat it  _ all _ .” 

Lena laughed and grabbed both plates, leading the way to the bedroom. “Come on,” she said as she set the plates on Kara’s bedside table, “this way you can just pass out after you’re done. No movement required.” 

“You’re an enabler. And you’re not allowed to use this as leverage later because it was  _ your _ idea which puts the blame all on your shoulders if you try to tell Alex about it,” Kara said as she flopped down on the bed, resting her back against the headboard. She took her plate and took an enormous bite of the chocolate cake, eyes closed in bliss. “I’m keeping you  _ forever _ ,” she said as she looked at Lena as she settled in next to her. 

Lena flushed and smiled, a little thrown by the utter sincerity in her voice. “I would very much like that,” she said. 

“Me too,” Kara replied around a mouthful of cake. She leaned her head on Lena’s shoulder and they fell into a companionable silence while Kara ate her cake and Lena picked at hers. Eventually, once every single crumb (and a few bites of Lena’s piece) was consumed, Kara put the plate aside, slid down the bed a little, and rested her head on Lena’s thigh. Lena’s fingers slid through her now dry hair, tugging at tangles gently, playing with her hair mindlessly as Kara fell asleep. Lena looked at the clock with a smile; it was barely six and Kara was already passed out. 

Lena considered extracting herself from Kara’s hold but she decided against it. So what if she went to sleep unreasonably early? It was the weekend; work could wait. She set aside her own plate and shifted Kara just enough to wriggle down, letting Kara’s head rest on her chest instead. She still played with the ends of Kara’s hair and matched her breathing to hers, feeling herself start to slip off to sleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> I really want to write more of this but I stopped myself before this could become a monstrously long fic. I might write a follow up fic in the future if anyone is interested.


End file.
